Staying Busy

6/16 – 6/18 @ WL
The 18th was my day off for the week! I slept in, went to the pool, and then went to Magic Kingdom with Tanya. We watched a parade, walked through the shops on Main Street, rode Space Mountain, and then left. I went out to dinner with Madison, her parents, her boyfriend and his parents to celebrate her birthday!

6/19 – 21 @ WL
On the 21st I made my first call to 911 at work. A woman came running over to one of the lifeguards saying there was a woman who fell unconscious on a bridge near the pool. The lifeguard called the coordinator, and I was told to call 911. I found out the woman had epilepsy and was having a seizure. It was pretty scary, but we all worked well as a team and received Great Service Fanatic cards. These cards are given out to cast members when they go above and beyond and/or do something really well.

6/22 @ WL
Today I worked my first double. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Plus, I kept telling myself I would have the next 2 days off to recuperate. I stopped by a 7 11 after work and bought some ice cream to reward myself for surviving a long day in the heat. :)

6/23
I slept in and then went to the pool for a couple hours. I'm still trying to even out my tan when I can. :) I went grocery shopping and then met up with a couple of my roommates at Magic Kingdom. We went on numerous rides and then watched Let the Memories Begin. It's an absolutely amazing show displayed on the castle. It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and it's so creative! Wishes (the firework show) followed Memories, and as always, Disney fireworks are the best!

6/24
I've been pretty productive today, so I think I'll go to the parks this evening to enjoy the remainder of my day off!


Summary
I didn't do the greatest job blogging over the past number of days, so I'll try to do better this coming week. :) Last week there were a number of days when it rained and we had to close the pool down for various amounts of time. Now I feel more comfortable with the procedure for pool closings. I've been at WL the past 2 weeks, and I'll be there again all next week. I'm not complaining though because it's a beautiful resort, and it's giving me plenty of time to become accustomed to working there. Dianne, one of my roommates moved out on Wednesday to start a job back home. So, now we're down to five people in the apartment. Thankfully our rent will not go up, and they won't put more people in the apartment until we're at 50% capacity.

While I'm working, it has been interesting to watch families interact among each other. Some parents actually play in the pool with their kids. Other parents watch from afar or don't even pay attention. Some parents enforce the pool rules on their kids, especially after I've told their kids to walk, etc. Other parents let me do all the yelling, and don't bother to tell their kids they are breaking the rules. I've also seen a lot of families having a blast at the pool. I definitely enjoy seeing that while I'm at work. Something I don't think I'll ever understand is the number of towels that are left lying on the pool deck. There are two towel bins located right next to the clean towel bins. It's not too hard for people to pick up their towels and toss them in the bins. When I'm cleaning the pool deck though I pick up dozens and dozens of towels, and a pretty good amount of trash too.

Slowly but surely I'm starting to network. I've talked to a couple of my managers to find out more information about the graphic designing done at Disney. I would like to shadow a Disney graphic designer if possible. Thanks for reading!

Erica

 

Work and Play

6/9 @ FW
I forgot to journal today, and the days are all running together. Therefore, I do not remember what happened on this day...apparently nothing too interesting. lol

6/10
My day off this week! It was an absolute blast! I went to Typhoon Lagoon with Madison, one of my roommates, and had so much fun. After the water park we came back to the apartment and then headed to Hollywood Studios. We ate dinner at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, watched Fantasmic, and went on a few rides. We packed a lot of fun into one day, and I definitely needed that break from work!

6/11
Today I was at the Contemporary (CT) and Bay Lake Tower (BLT). It was my first day at both since I had training, so I was a little rusty on the rotations, etc, but everyone was very helpful when I had any questions. Towards the end of the day I got to see some of the fireworks from Magic Kingdom because the resort is so close to the park. I thought it was a nice ending to a day of work.

6/12
I was at FW, and it was hot today. I had the morning shift for the first time, so I worked from 9:30am-6pm. I had the evening shift yesterday, so it was a quick turnaround of working again this morning. I wasn't entirely in the mood to work this morning, but it makes me happy when I see families having fun on vacation. I saw that many times today, and that changed my attitude about work. I want to mention that I have been working with people with so many different ethnic backgrounds. Today I worked with a person from Morocco and one from China. It's so interesting to learn about all of these different cultures.

6/13 @ WL
This morning I had my first in service. I have to attend two in services per month to maintain my lifeguarding skills. It is very helpful to practice these skills so they are engrained in my memory. Then I had to work after training, so that made for a fairly long day. However, my roommates and I went out for ice cream this evening, which made for a good ending to the day. :) I am still meeting new lifeguards every day, and I'm thankful everyone has to wear name tags because that is way too many names to remember! I work 53 hours again this week. Right now I'm getting one day off a week, but I'm hoping that changes to two per week periodically. I need time to network!!!

6/14 @ WL
Today was just not my day. However, it was Taco Tuesday for the cast members in the Bay Lake Region. This meant that we all got a free lunch consisting of nachos, tacos, and Mickey ice cream bars. That was a great start to my shift. Then it started storming, so we had to close the pool. That was the first time I've had to deal with closing the pool due to the weather. So, I remembered what I could from training, but I followed what everyone else was doing. My coordinator today was incredibly intense. I don't think I saw him crack a smile one time. He made me very nervous and stressed. It was just a crazy day with the weather, etc. I was happy when I finally arrived home.

6/15 @ WL
105 is the heat index forecasted for today. It's going to be very hot, but I'm thankful I can jump in the pool periodically to cool off during the day. :)  

That's all for now! Thanks for reading!
Erica :)

OJT=OMG

Day 11 (6/2) 
Wow, my first day of on the job training (OJT) was pretty overwhelming. Not only am I trying to remember all of my lifeguard training, but I need to remember the names of the lifeguard stands, where the bathrooms are located, where the towels are, where people can get lifejackets, the pool hours, the pool rules, the codes used on the walkie talkies we have to carry around, what to do when it storms, and more. I began my training at Fort Wilderness (FW), and it's a spread out campground, which feels like a maze to me. I followed a senior lifeguard around. I have to bike 1/2 mile to get to the pool. We rotate every half hour, and we also assist with activities for the children. The second half of the day I followed another senior lifeguard at Wilderness Lodge (WL). It was basically the same type of training at a different location.

Day 12 (6/3) 
Day OFF!!! I was thankful for this day. I mainly stayed around the apartment. I took the time to organize more of my stuff because I hadn't really organized it all that well on move-in day. That evening I met up with Steve DiSalvo from Maryville because he is on vacation with his family!

Day 13 & final day of training (6/4) 
My OJT was at the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower. Two more pools and hotels to learn about. I also have to help out at the marina. My trainer was really great, and I learned a lot from him. Everyone is very nice at all of the resorts, and they act kind of like a family, which is really cool. The coordinator at BLT and CT comes up with nicknames for every guard. I told him I was an easy target with my last name. He thought of the "V card," but said he would come up with an even better one. Oh the joys of having the last name that I do. lol Later in the evening I went out to dinner with a couple of my roommates. We went to a Mexican restaurant and had margaritas. By the time I got home I was so tired from my training as well as the margarita. I went to bed early. :)

6/5 
Today was my first official day of work! I'm pretty sure my feet hate me. I worked from 2-10:30pm, and I was walking and standing most of the time. It feels so good to be off of them, and I'm wondering how they're going to feel at work tomorrow. I was at WL today, and I was super nervous to be on my own without a trainer. However, I got the hang of the rotations, etc fairly quickly. I'm still learning and trying to remember as much as I can, but I know learning everything will come with time. I didn't have to jump in today, but I felt like I yelled "please walk" 100 times.

6/6
Today I was at Fort Wilderness. I'm glad I get to help with the children's activities because it gives me more interaction with the guests.

6/7 
I was back at FW today. I had my first save!!! A boy slid out the bottom of the slide and was struggling to swim in the current, so I jumped in! He was fine, but his grandmother wasn't paying attention to him. A few minutes later an older man came up to me and said he saw the whole thing. He told me he was about ready to jump in, and told me that I didn't hesitate and did a great job. That was incredibly nice of him, and it made me feel good. There were some other kids that were dropped off at the pool, and some of them were way to young to be alone. Lifeguards are not babysitters, but unfortunately some people think of it that way.

6/8 
This morning I went for my second run this week. I'm still trying to get used to the humidity, but one thing I don't have to worry about down here are hills. Before heading in to work I went to an outlet mall near my apartment. I bought my first pair of Crocs because my feet weren't fairing so well in my sandals, so I thought I'd try Crocs. So far, they're working well. :) Today I was at WL. I had a good day, and there was nothing too eventful. I am continually learning more and more, and I'm starting to feel more comfortable. At the end of this week I will have logged 53 hours of work. My day off this week is Friday, and I can't wait!!! I'm going to Typhoon Lagoon with one of my roommates.

Below are photos of my apartment, the pool, and the night we went to the Mexican restaurant. We made a hidden Mickey with our margaritas. :)

Thanks for reading!
Erica :)

The end of training is near!

Hello everyone! 


Day 3 (5/25):  
Traditions was a fairly long class, but it was a very beneficial experience. We learned about the history of Disney, and how even Walt Disney experienced some roadblocks throughout his life. When he was in the process of building one of the parks (I can't remember which one) he had to chose between having water fountains or a plumbing system. (FYI:  He chose the plumbing system) Even though he experienced many challenges during his life he never gave up. 


The common goal of the Disney Cast Members:  We create happiness by providing the finest in entertainment for people of all ages everywhere. When we're at work we're "onstage" because we are part of the show. We make the magic! :) This is why we're called Cast Members. The four keys Cast Members need to remember at all times are:  Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. This was drilled into us! About half way through the class we went to Magic Kingdom and got to walk through the underground passageways. So cool! We walked around the park for a bit looking for the four keys being put to use by the Cast Members. Afterwards we came back for some more learning, and then we had a surprise guest come to our classroom...the one and only Mickey Mouse! :) He was there to deliver our name tags, which I thought was pretty awesome. Seeing my name tag and putting it on was so surreal. Whether I was watching video clips of Walt Disney or watching the excitement of kids when they found out they were going to Disney, I got the goosebumps because I knew I was going to be a part of this amazing corporation. I've been to Disney so many times, and I've created countless memories with my family there. I want to give back, and make sure families have the same (I'm going to go ahead and say it) magical experiences. 

Day 4 (5/26):    
I had my Core Recreational Class today. This class concentrated more on my field of work. Since I'm a lifeguard, I'm part of the Recreation group. We learned more in depth information about Recreation at Disney, and how Safety is the most important key for ourselves and the guests. That evening I went to Hollywood Studios with my roommates and had a blast! I really enjoy the perk of getting in for free! :) 


Day 5 (5/27):
I had my first day of lifeguard class. It was from 8am-5pm with a one hour lunch break. We had a few short breaks here and there, but they kept us busy the entire day. We practiced saves in the water, learned CPR, and went through a bunch of other information. Later in the evening my roommates and I attempted to watch Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios, but the rain prevented us from doing so. lol We were absolutely drenched by the time we got back to our car, but that made for a good memory. :)


Day 6 (5/28):
Day 2 of lifeguard training. The same as yesterday, but new information, and we learned how to use the backboard. 


Day 7 (5/29):
Day 3 of lifeguard training. This was our final day, and also our test day. We had some time at the beginning to practice CPR, etc. Then we had our team test in the water. A scenario was created, and we had to respond like it was a real emergency. Our team had to use the backboard, perform CPR, and use the AED. Then we had to complete a written test of 60 multiple choice questions. The final test was CPR (adult, child and infant). I passed all the tests and received my deep water lifeguard license at the end of the day! I was so relieved! I went out to eat with my parents for dinner to celebrate! 


Day 8 (5/30):  
My first day off! I spent the morning with my parents before they headed home. I went to the Wilderness Lodge to pick up my costumes! (when I say costume I mean my uniform) Then I went to the pool with one of my roommates and relaxed (it was so great!). That evening I went to Downtown Disney with some of my roommates for margaritas, and that was a great way to end the day. 


Day 9 (5/31):
I had orientation at the Wilderness Lodge (WL). We learned about the history, information, their vision, mission, etc. We were shown where the hidden mickeys were, and given a tour of the resort. From 6-8pm there was a Welcome Pool Party at Patterson Court. The place was packed! 


Day 10 (6/1):
I had orientation at Fort Wilderness (FW), Bay Lake Tower (BLT), and the Contemporary (CT). We were given a tour and learned a great deal of information at each resort. I went to Hollywood Studios again and went on a number of rides. I still need to get to the other parks! 


Day 11 (6/2):
Today is my first day of On the Job Training (OJT). I finally get to wear my lifeguard costume! I'll be at FW and WL today. Tomorrow I have a day off, and then I have my final OJT on Saturday at BLT and CT. Then I'll officially start work on Monday!!! :)

Note:  Acronyms are a big thing down at Disney, and I will be using them in my blog. :)


Thanks for reading!

Erica